


And His Friends

by Ononymous



Category: Mother 2: Gyiyg no Gyakushuu | EarthBound, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Light-Hearted, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-Endgame, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-22 17:54:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11385351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ononymous/pseuds/Ononymous
Summary: As Asriel waits for the end, Frisk arrives, determined to save him. So determined they brought a friend. More than one friend, really.





	And His Friends

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first bit of creative writing since school. I wrote the original version while I was still grappling with the implications of the game's story, and as time went on I felt it was a little too neat and tidy. I'm including a link so you can judge for yourselves.

The cruel wind that would normally have wound through the town at this time of day was absent. The miracle reported from the far side of the world was already having an impact, it seemed. Not that anyone was outdoors to notice.

There had been an impromptu party in Snowdin when confirmation had reached them via the Royal Guard, that soon they could venture beyond the end of the world and into a whole new one. It hadn't lasted long however. Arrangements were still being made at New Home, but nobody wanted to be caught flat-footed when the all-clear arrived.

Grillby had kindly donated every empty box he had. These boxes had spread all over town, being filled up with clothes and trinkets and toys and books. Even if they didn't immediately bring these boxes with them, they'd be ready to pick up and carry once a place to stay on the surface was arranged. In a surprisingly short time, every bedroom in Snowdin had been stripped bare.

Every bedroom except two.

The owners of the last house before the road to Waterfall hadn't returned yet. One had volunteered to assist with the preparations at New Home. Normally the other would have just taken his sweet time doing it. But on this occasion, he had been roped into something far beyond his paygrade.

Completely unnoticed by everyone, currently all indoors and absorbed with their preparations, a whining noise came from a shed behind the empty house. And was shortly accompanied by a burst of light that lasted for several seconds. Then there was silence again, before footsteps preceded the door opening.

A young child emerged, and marched through the town without stopping to talk to anyone. Not that there was anyone to talk to, they were busy packing. All the better, there wasn't much time.

* * *

Faint sunlight shone down from above. Funny, he always remembered it being more golden and radiant. Maybe that was the barrier. Probably. Now it felt just a little more mundane. It was actually kind of peaceful. As if the cave knew he was resigned to this and was showing proper respect. The flowers, however. Still as vibrant and colourful as ever. One way or the other, he knew he'd have plenty of time to experience this place. Whether it would be in golden light or softer fare would be up to Frisk.

He couldn't help but wonder whether he'd see Frisk again. He had sensed their reluctance to let him leave after the barrier shattered. Probably not much more than his own, but it had to be this way. Not just to avoid reopening old wounds, but the mending of his own wounds. It would come so easily and could never be justified, and soon he wouldn't care about forgiveness anyway.

Besides, it looked like Frisk was ready to move on one way or the other. Having traversed the Underground in his own time, even if not by everyone else's means, he had a rough idea of how long it would take to travel from the exit to here. If they were going to head out to see him, they'd probably set out as soon as they woke up, and would have arrived a few hours ago. Looks like that wasn't the case-

Footsteps.

He wheeled around and stared into the darkness. He couldn't see anything yet, but two things puzzled him. If Frisk had decided to come, why would they wait so long? And...why were there two sets of steps?

They were getting louder. He fought the urge to conceal himself. He had no idea who was coming, and was afraid of having to deal with it being the two he most wanted to see and yet least wanted to see. This fear lessened as the footsteps continued, as they were not the comparatively heavy thud of a larger monster. No, they were much lighter, and were the sounds of shoes on the ground, not bare feet. All this did was replace that anxiety with his original puzzlement. Who would want to come see him in this state? Who even knew he was here? Until at last-

"Frisk?"

The child stared at Asriel from the half shadows as they approached. Stoic as ever, but with that determination twinkling in their eyes. Asriel didn't know whether they were always so determined, or whether this was going to be an attempt to get him to change his mind. Better nip that one in the bud. Ugh, poor choice of words.

"I appreciate you keeping me company, but we both know-"

"you mean we three know?"

Focused on Frisk's face, he had briefly forgotten about the second set of footsteps. A glance to the right showed a fixed grin and eyes you couldn't glean anything from. The third-last person he wanted to see right now.

"hey, kid."

Sans' tone was friendly, but Asriel remembered that same tone in the Judgement Hall. It was no guarantee of safety. He half stepped back.

"relax, cap. had a while to think things through. kiddo here helped me with that."

As Asriel struggled with his visitors, he finally noticed a box under one of Sans' arms. He took the box and placed it down on the edge of the flower bed. Asriel didn't dwell on it much, not wanting to look away from that grin, and yet wanting to flee.

"But... what I did..."

"W a s p r e t t y s i c k?"

His tone was now devoid of...anything. The chumminess was gone, but nothing replaced it. Sadness, anger, even curiosity, nothing. Only coldness. Asriel remembered that tone too. Even if he had intended to defend or excuse his actions, it would have evaporated under that baleful stare.

"...yes. Yes it was. Even my... M-mom..."

"yup. You know your priorities. that's what you started with before."

"I- what?"

Sans' other hand finally emerged from his pocket, a phone in it. Beep.

"Even my... M-mom... and your brother... so many others... and the only reason Dad was saved was because you were... oh my god I'm sorry..."

The appropriate emotion was not presently available as he heard his own voice say things he never did, though he had certainly intended to.

"How did you do that? I didn't even think you could carry that over with a res-"

And he understood. He jerked his head back to Frisk.

"What is this? How many times?!"

*You uncomfortably avoid giving the true answer, fudging by saying more than a few.

Incredulity washed over the white face. "Why?! Why would you toy with everyone like that? I'm not worth it!"

Frisk's head bowed with closed eyes. They were clearly ashamed, but it also looked like they were used to this.

"Of course. We've talked about this before. But you still came back?"

"can't say i was happy about that either." said Sans. "i'm led to believe it would have come to blows the first time i realised, if tori hadn't been there."

The sound of the old pet name coming from an unfamiliar source was another irritant. In spite of this, he felt he had to get them to leave on good terms, or Frisk would just try again, just pull on everyone's chain one more time. So he forced himself to be patient, which was harder than he thought, being so badly out of practice. And even while trying to be understanding, he couldn't resist a barb.

"And... and what is it about Sans that makes you think he can persuade me? Or is toying with thousands for half an hour with me how you set your priorities these days?"

*You declare you never reset unless you thought you could help him.

"Me above everyone else? Whatever it may have cost you? Or them? You..." Two conflicting emotions clashed, and then established a compromise response. "You really are... something."

Frisk looked away, their stoicism disrupted.

"okay, bored now." Sans had stepped forward again. "wanna know what i bring to the table? check the box."

He had forgotten about it. It looked mundane enough. He cautiously flipped the lid open.

"What's...?"

Resting on top of other papers was a small stack of photographs. Frisk and Sans grinning on the topmost picture. That was the least intriguing part. He had very little memory of the sky - he had not really been in a position to appreciate it - but that was what lay behind the figures. Even with his limited experience however, something seemed subtly off about it, but perhaps the obvious questions first.

"You've gone to the surface already? I mean, in this reset?"

"we went to a surface. just not the one you know. check out the others."

So he did. It was like looking at a holiday album. Pictures of the two of them in all sorts of places. And the curious thing was the sky rarely seemed to be the exact same colour. Most of them were blue, but different shades with no rhyme or reason. One however was bright green. Also, he remembered the human books he read during his isolation. If buildings like these had existed on the surface, no book ever hinted at it.

"Oh! This is-"

The final picture had been the most surprising. It was the very cavern they stood in. And Frisk and Sans flanked a third grinning figure. It had been a century since he had seen his true face, but he never forgot it. His eyes were different however. There was something there. Something he felt right now, but knew it would not last. Overwhelming curiosity stifled it, along with his outrage.

"I don't remember this," came the obvious reply, "how did you do that?"

*You explain how at first you tried to let him go, until one day a few years later Sans actually talked about his lab.

"That locked door behind his house?"

"that's the key, kid. turns out they visited it once or twice. not that i remember. anyhow there's a machine in there i never got working right. i promised to tinker with it now and then."

"And what does it do?"

"rusts, mostly. but apparently the kid brought up what it was supposeda do with alphys and she gave out a few pointers. then i get pumped for more details and then suddenly i'm on sentry duty in the forest again. not that i realised."

*You look sheepish as Sans glances at you.

"so let's cut the fat and get right to the bone. the machine was originally an attempt to transport beyond the barrier by stepping outside the universe for a split second. initial tests were universal-ly a failure. lotta cleaning up afterwards. i'm told human science helped speed things up."

"You mean this machine works?" Asriel was feeling lost, but something about Frisk encouraged him to keep listening.

"careful, don't wanna spoil things. anyway, after a couple attempts where we had a stern disagreement, frisk got me to listen. i gotta say, it was Legendary."

He couldn't help but interrupt. "That would take a lot of time to do over and over. How do you know now?"

"yeah, that would be a pain in the tailbone," a sheet of paper with cramped minuscule writing was fished out of his pocket, "so i left myself a note."

"But... how? How do you have this stuff?"

*You give a complex explanation of the interaction of chronological manipulation and extra-universal travel.

"Um... huh?"

"kid's been hitting the books way too long. short version is if you stay inside the machine, resets don't effect ya. could have stayed myself, but then there'd be two handsome skeletons running around and that would raise awkward questions. so instead they left notes and stuff. some by them, some by me or alphys, one interesting one from royal guard 02. and then we apparently had the idea to keep my phone in there for material that would really speak to us."

A lifetime ago, Asriel would have called this impossible. But here he was, once a flower and, he realised with an icy chill, a small part of him yearning to return. Time would run out before long.

"But what does any of this have to do with me?"

"well when you get a new toy, you wanna play with it, right? human soul science here is non-existent, so we don't know anymore than alphys. why not look farther afield?"

"You mean you've gone?"

"possibly? i don't remember much, though those pictures will make great conversation at grillby's. that is, until tonight. helluva ride in it, i should install cushions. anyway. that's why we're here now."

*You interject, feeling like Sans has done all the talking, explaining that you think you've met people who can help.

*You now feel ready to try and save Asriel.

Even to his still extant ability to feel positive emotions, dwindling as that was, this feeling was alien, and it took a moment for him to recognise it. It was hope.

"But we're nearly out of time. Why wait so long anyway?"

"mages did their homework, cap. turns out we couldn't go beyond the underground 'til the barrier broke. had to wait for you to step up."

"You know it was-? Oh, of course."

*You tell Asriel that the journeys you took suggested this was the best time to attempt to do it, that to wait until later would make it harder for everyone.

"You mean when I... take this mask off?"

"kid, you ain't wearing a-"

"Yes, I am." The statement was neutral in tone. "You think I'm not Flowey? I may not want to be, and I'm trying not to be right now, but I am. I've thought of a lot of... nasty things I could be saying to you since I realised you were still resetting. I hate them, but those impulses are there. You could think of us as separate if you left me alone, but if you want me, you get me. Warts and all."

*You nod without hesitation, and reassure Asriel you will help him no matter what.

In spite of Frisk's unwavering support, or maybe because of it, the hope that had spawned seemed muted. Not by the impending end, but by another emotion he hadn't felt for a long time. Because even if what they said was true...

"There's a problem with this though."

"oh?"

"It can't work..."

"buck-o, don't knock it before you try it."

"No, it can't work..." fresh tears appeared, "it... shouldn't... not after I-"

"oh, this story again. just gonna spoil it."

Beep. Asriel once again heard his thoughts manifest through the speaker.

"And even if everyone's happy to see me, I'll still remember! I did those things and I just get to have a normal life? How could anyone deserve that? ...but Frisk... well yes I care about them, that's why... if they were here? I'd say sorry. That's *sniff* probably all I'd say. I couldn't say anything else. But there's no *sniff* point in saying sorry if that will hurt them even more... you too, Sans? But Papyrus... *Shudder* ...yeah, in _this_ timeline he sees me a a friend, but I was using him... I'd... I'd say sorry to him a lot too."

Beep.

"So we've had this conversation?"

"close enough. pressed you pretty hard the first time, but the kid kept me in check, i gather. short story, we all agree you are worth the effort. or at least, frisk believes so. and i gotta go with their gut, since i ain't got one of my own. kid has a knack for calling it, who am i to say no?"

"But..."

*You urge Asriel to look at the last photograph again.

As a courtesy, he did. Absently he flipped it over and was surprised to see a message, in handwriting neater than he could have managed a few days ago.

_Howdy,_

_I know you're scared. You're scared and ashamed and guilt-ridden and thinking like you used to even though those thoughts hurt you right now, and I feel exactly the same. But they got to me. I agreed to it. Please don't make me a liar. I think we can make it work. Not for me or for you, but for them. We owe it to them._

_-You_

Even with his knowledge of resets, this was a weird moment.

"How long did it take you to convince me?"

"took more than one try, i gather."

*You play your final card, and draw his attention to an envelope in the box.

The brown envelope had the Delta Rune on it, but nothing else. He was shocked once again as he opened it, because as he pulled out two pieces of paper, there was a whiff of butterscotch. He knew who these were from.

*You watch Asriel read the letters. His eyes tear up again.

The scene felt like they were intruding. His breathing was shuddering as sobbing began with the second letter. Eventually he dropped them both.

"D-did you... did you ever t-take them to see me?"

*You tell him they aren't aware of you right now, that you promised all three that you would never reunite them unless you were sure it would be permanent.

*Which you are now.

Conflict wrestled within Asriel. What was the natural and inevitable outcome was far from sure how. And on top of that turmoil, the small yearning to return to the flowerbed had grown slightly. He had to decide now. But doubt and guilt still clutched at where his soul would have been. After everything he did, how could he just...

And now he suddenly noticed through his increasingly blurry eyes, Frisk had taken advantage of his silence to advance on him. Blinking furiously, Frisk's eyes came into focus with that determination, but something else. Tears. A smile. An outreached hand. It had probably been outreached from the moment the barrier first shattered, but never was it closer.

A heartbeat he wasn't quite sure was his own booming in his ears, and Frisk becoming blurry once more, the thoughts of two kindly souls waiting with a piece of pie, it was all too much. With a cleansing breath that was almost another sob, Asriel felt his hand in Frisk's, not entirely sure how it ended up there.

"S-so... so how d-does this work?"

Both of them looked at Sans, working his phone once again, dialling an unusually long number. It took him maybe thirty seconds to dial. The voice on the other end sounded young, but neither could make it out.

"heya, n. no i haven't 'turned back to normal', thanks for asking. anyway, we've met up with the guy. you know, that friend of a friend i told ya about. we're ready if ya still wanna help out. is p still cool with that? okay. sure, hamburgers on me next time, extra ketchup!"

Beep.

"looks like we're a go, kids. hold onto your butts."

Before Asriel could say anything, Frisk had him in another hug. Tighter, much tighter than their first hug. Empty hand dangling limply for a moment, before meeting with his other around Frisk. And yet, he didn't feel it much. His evaporating hope was replaced by a growing fear that it was too late...

And then the heartbeat grew even louder, and through his tightly shut eyes a faint red light pierced his lids. Determination filled him anew. As did love. Traces of the bonds the Underground had forged with Frisk still lingered within him, allowing his own bonds to blossom. Whatever came next, Flowey would not have his say until this was over. It was time for the last great hope.

With his compassion and love stoked, and Frisk relaying a connection to the Underground, he began to hear something... peaceful. Music. It was like his music box in Waterfall. It steadied him as it repeated, strengthened his focus. It was almost like determination, but there were differences. From a subtle shift in Frisk's stance, he knew they could hear it too.

He could sense all the bonds now, and now it felt like there were... too many. Four bonds in particular he didn't recognise were flowing from Frisk and Sans, they felt different... human? But it was even more than that. Each of them were anchored to many times more people. A second tune began playing along with the first, simpler but complimentary, forming a melody that was both soothing and tremendously powerful. And more bonds spread out. Before long they outnumbered the monsters. And soon dwarfed them. These new friends knew a lot of people.

And that's when it started flowing through the pair in the cave. Asriel thought he had hope before, but that was nothing. What was pouring through him and Frisk could have cheered up the world thrice over. The sheer weight of well-wishes was almost overbearing. But that was just the passive benefit. A babble of words and voices, impossibly jumbled to make any of it out, flashed through his head, but the tone was clear: Yearning. Please let it happen. Whatever "it" was.

With each wave he momentarily knew its source. A schoolteacher. Boisterous Musicians. Brilliant Scientists. A kindly mother, which made him pine for his own. One who seemed far away from them but ever connected to that world by their caring for it. And this world too, somehow.

The monster bonds were not to be denied. Perhaps aware of these bonds on some level, Asriel felt them light up, filling with hope and yearning, even if they didn't quite know what they were yearning for yet. Two he could feel were lingering near the exit of the underground lit up the brightest, though they themselves didn't realise it, and another tear slid down his cheek. He understood now. It was more than hope or yearning.

It was prayer.

*Your soul is filled with determination, and you begin to pray for the safety of Asriel... and his friends.

The prayer was being answered. An indescribable force was coalescing in the petitioners, and beginning to make their way to where they stood. Some contributed a lot, some a little, but the effect was beyond comprehension. He could tell this was a force with little comparison in the universe. His brief time as a god gave him a knack for sensing such primal forces. With the right intent it could destroy anything. The barrier would have been nothing but air to it, he as a god would certainly have been crushed with little resistance. But no such intent of destruction was there, the yearning and the voices and the song guided it to something only described as a miracle.

And then it hit.

It did no physical harm, but he still felt like he came apart. He could perceive all the disparate components of his mind as the force began to reassemble them. There were a few that felt dark and jagged, and he understood that they were Flowey's impulses. His impulses really, you couldn't draw a line like that. They were included in his rebuilding mind all the same. Had his ability to feel it been in place he would have felt a little sad and afraid at their inclusion, but as if in response all the same they were smoothed out a little, took its edge off. The force knew what he wanted to be and to do, and was trying to help, but not by sweeping his dark side under the rug. Warts and all.

His emotions slotted into place now. He almost welcomed the return of his grief and sorrow, for they were proof that he could still care. Much like his negative habits, the guilt for his crimes was not cast aside, but perhaps recontextualized. The rapture of the force strengthened his ability to cope. Another babble of voices, some he knew and others he didn't, helped underline this.

_"...it's okay... we're here for you... you're not alone..."_

As he rebuilt, he realised that Frisk had been sent to wherever-they-were to watch his reconstruction. Frisk didn't appear to need an overhaul. Or perhaps they were too determined to be affected. He had to go and tempt fate.

Frisk suddenly gasped, and a shadow came over them before being whisked away just as quickly. What looked like a very tired red soul now stood between them. Before he could do more than register his amazement, it streaked away to places unknown, leaving a peaceful melancholy behind. On some level Asriel knew perhaps the oldest wound of all had just been closed, if not fully healed. He would cry later, but the force kept him focused on the now.

The final touches were being applied. For a moment Asriel felt like he was losing the ability to feel again, like Flowey was resurgent. The resultant panic quieted down when he could see his emotion build as a white ball in front of him.

Seven small pulses of energy started working on it, shaping it. Each reminded Asriel of a smell. Spaghetti...Ketchup...Armour Polish...Books...Flowers...Warm Pie...Wood, like a stick or branch taken from Mount Ebott.

And now it was finished. A small upside-down heart, white as marble, was in front of him. Frisk looked on approvingly, fresh tears in their eyes. There was no emotion or resistance now, he knew what to do. Asriel cupped the heart in his hands almost mechanically, it approached his chest and fj989awh8\3f*"$WALUI(F:WEH(F*F'fhoheF£(*FH(W3h"£&*($£!?~{~>>{£{>$~£F{FD>£"~£SANESSSSS£"~>DFf...............

* * *

"...and i said i'm sure he'll wake up, don't bleat about- oh, hey cap."

Asriel was lying on the ground, before the flowerbed. It was a lot darker than before, he must have been out a while. He felt drenched in so many ways, like he sat in Hotlands for a full day. His cheeks were particularly damp, and he knew that wasn't sweat. His body felt exhausted, but his mind was brimming with energy. No, more than his mind! His...

"helluva light show they put on for ya, kid. i'd probably be sunburnt, but, you know, skin."

Frisk was sitting on a rock. They looked exhausted too, and unlike Asriel it was in mind and body. That final exorcism must have been tiring. Not that it stopped them getting up and once again offering their hand to Asriel.

"so, did it work? or do we have to go back to that kung fu guy and grab those magic balls?"

The cave's darkness was almost soothing after the experience of what they had gone through. But as the two children held hands again, it lit up slightly. A red light, and a white light.

"huh. guess that will do it. congrats kid, the soul looks neat."

Emotion exploded once more. Joy and Wonder, excitement and shock, but also relief and sadness. But the sadness was different. Tears flowed, but without sobs. The venom behind the tears was gone.

"*Sniff* I feel different. My body feels like it's really mine, like I can be happy again. I _am_ happy again! But I'm sad too. It feels different than before though."

*You ask Asriel what he means.

"Well, before it was less sad and more... despair. You saw through that despite my best efforts to keep you away, Frisk. That no matter how things turned out nothing could work out well for me, that nothing _should_ work out well, that I deserved nothing. Now I think back to what I did as Flowey, and I still feel terrible about that, and I'll still dream about it, but it's like... it's not hopeless. It'll be hard work, but I'm not alone. Maybe I can make up for what I did. Maybe even forgive myself. I'm determined to!"

*Your face looks suddenly passive, save a quivering lip.

"welp, congrats frisk. when most folk would think the end is thigh, you figured out how to help everyone."

*Your appreciative shrug is interrupted by realising the pun and frowning somewhat.

"anyway cap, since your dues to monsterkind appear to be fully paid up now, i better start showing some respect before tori catches wind. see you around, prince."

"Wait, you're leaving?"

"yeah, gotta pack before i leave the underground. get my socks in a nice neat ragged jumble of washed and unwashed, you know the drill."

*You ask if Sans can take you both with him.

"nah, you might wanna stick there a moment."

"Why?"

"i miiiighta texted the gang with frisk's phone saying they should meet up here."

"Wait, what-"

But he was gone. Footsteps could be faintly heard. Many sets, including heavier, barefooted thuds.

*You ask Asriel how he wants to handle this.

Nervous eyes looked back, but only for a moment. 

"...Do you think 'Howdy!' is a little forward?" 

Laughter. Uncontrolled laughter. The cave was finally empty of everything else.

* * *

And in a quiet town worlds away, four young children felt happy for their new friends.

**Author's Note:**

> Original version: https://pastebin.com/cB5rU2D0
> 
> Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!


End file.
